Amanah grassroots up in arms over plan to drop Hanipa as candidate

Amanah grassroots in Sepang are up in arms over plans to drop incumbent MP Hanipa Maidin from contesting in the 15th general election.

This is according to a party source, who is familiar with the decision taken at a closed-door meeting held yesterday to decide on the party's GE15 candidacy.

"Hanipa (above) has been ruled out from GE15 candidacy, some of them (supporters) burst into tears after a long discussion and negotiation.

"Including (party president) Mat (Mohamad) Sabu, burst into tears. The persons in charge to sort out the names (candidacy) are Salahuddin Ayub and Asmuni Awi," the source told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

According to the source further, the list of candidates is expected to be finalised today, and would witness several new faces, fielded for GE15.

Earlier, the Amanah election committee was said to have dropped Hanipa from the GE15 race due to health reasons, and he had accepted the decision.

For the record, Hanipa, who was elected Sepang MP in the 2013 general election, collapsed during a Dewan Rakyat sitting in 2016 and underwent a surgery for brain haemorrhage.

Then in 2018, he collapsed again during a government function in Putrajaya, after which he was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, which caused one to faint due to certain triggers.

'His service still needed'

The source said that plans to field Aiman Athirah Sabu, the Wanita Amanah chief, is said to have met with resistance from the grassroots, who preferred party supreme council member Faiz Fadzil instead.

Amanah mobilisation bureau director Sany Hamzan

"The other names proposed for the Sepang parliamentary seat were Amanah mobilisation bureau director Sany Hamzan and Selangor Amanah chairperson Izham Hashim.”

According to the source, the grassroots feel that Hanipa's service is still needed, given the prominent role he played in pushing for several important legislations in the Dewan Rakyat, as well as his expertise in law-related matters.

"He is seen as stern in Parliament and makes his presence felt.

"On the constituency level, he (Hanipa) has also solved many issues faced in Sepang, including flood mitigation measures, the building of the Dengkil flyover, the Kota Warisan school, the Pinggiran Putra village facilities, as well as the construction of Cyberjaya hospital.

"Hanipa is also friendly with the youth," said the source.

When contacted on being dropped for GE15 candidacy, Hanipa played coy by briefly replying "I have no idea". - Mkini